Fort Mill’s 2,100-acre Anne Springs Close Greenway is celebrating its 30th anniversary by kicking off its biggest ‘Love the Greenway Month’ yet.
With the theme “Past, Present, Perpetuity: Celebrating 30 Years of Conservation, Education, and Recreation,” this milestone year reflects on the Greenway’s legacy while looking toward the future. Earth Day marks the official anniversary of the Greenway’s founding, but the celebration will continue all year long, with April serving as a key moment to honor the Greenway’s impact and inspire future generations to connect with nature.
The 2,100-acre nature preserve was placed under a conservation easement with the Nation Ford Land Trust to protect the Steele Creek watershed, ensuring that this cherished green space remains undeveloped beyond low impact recreation. Love the Greenway Month is an annual awareness and membership campaign celebrating this commitment, highlighting the Greenway’s mission to connect people to nature through recreational and educational activities, while fostering environmental stewardship.
“For three decades, the Anne Springs Close Greenway has been a place for families to explore, for outdoor enthusiasts to adventure, and for the community to come together,” said Elizabeth Bowers, Communications & Advancement Director for Leroy Springs & Company, the Greenway’s parent nonprofit organization. “This year’s theme—‘Past, Present, Perpetuity’—reminds us of our founder’s vision to preserve this land forever and calls on all of us to continue protecting it for future generations. Love the Greenway Month is the perfect time to celebrate that legacy.”
A highlight of Love the Greenway Month is the Earth Day Celebration (April 11-13), a weekend filled with opportunities to immerse in nature, including a campout, bass fishing tournament, guided hikes, live animal encounters, kayaking, archery, raptor release, educational opportunities and more. Throughout this three-day event, daily admission fees are waived for non-members, with a $5 per car parking fee supporting the Greenway’s conservation efforts (non-members only).
This year’s Love the Greenway Month and Earth Day Celebration are proudly presented by Orvis Charlotte, a dedicated partner in outdoor conservation and recreation. Their sponsorship helps make this event possible, allowing even more visitors to experience the outdoors and discover ways to protect our natural world.
30 Years of Preserving, Protecting, and Playing in Nature
Since its founding in 1995, the Anne Springs Close Greenway has been a pillar of conservation and outdoor recreation in the Fort Mill community. From miles of scenic hiking, biking and horseback riding trails to environmental education programs and community events, the Greenway has served as a place where people of all ages can get close to nature.
As part of the nature preserve’s 30th anniversary theme—Past, Present, Perpetuity—the Greenway will highlight its history, celebrate its current impact and invite the community to be part of its future. This milestone year will feature special events and programming, art exhibitions and key fundraising initiatives giving the community even more opportunities to honor the past, celebrate the present and invest in the future of the Greenway.
For more details on Love the Greenway Month, Earth Day Weekend, and 30th anniversary celebrations, you can visit ascgreenway.org.
Earth Day Celebration:
When: Friday, April 11 – Sunday, April 13, 2025
Location: All entrances of the Anne Springs Close Greenway; programing varies based on day, time and location Cost: Free for members. $5 per car parking fee for non-members.
Schedule of Events: ascgreenway.org/events/signature-events/earth-day-celebration
